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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27402454">Govi: A Short Story</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/DaveyTheDuck/pseuds/DaveyTheDuck'>DaveyTheDuck</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Hollow Knight (Video Games)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Gen, Illustrated, Illustrations</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-11-05</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-11-05</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 21:15:17</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>2,048</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/27402454</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/DaveyTheDuck/pseuds/DaveyTheDuck</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>A short prequel spin-off story about Govi, a vessel flawed both physically and mentally. This short story follows Govi as they escape the abyss with a large group of other surviving vessels.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>4</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Govi: A Short Story</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>meant to post this yesterday but i forgot about it. anyway, all of my hollow knight stories so far have finally been moved to ao3.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>
    <em>Govi</em>
  </strong>
</p><p>
  <em>A Short Story</em>
</p><p>
  <span>Govi doesn’t remember much before it happened. They only have a single image in their mind that appears when Govi thinks about it. It’s of father standing and watching them be dragged and thrown off into the abyss, with a disappointed look on his face. Govi woke up, they looked around. It was very dark. They could faintly make out what surrounded them. They saw some other figures standing around a large hole in the wall. Govi waddled towards the figures, trying to balance their abnormally large horn. Govi lost balance and fell to the ground. This ground was different. It felt sort of squishy sometimes and other times was rather hard. The inconsistency of the ground worried Govi. They opened their eyes again after falling and saw what was wrong with the ground. </span>
  <em>
    <span>It was the bodies of Govi’s siblings. </span>
  </em>
  <span>Govi jumped up in fear and ran as fast as they could toward the figures. Tumbling, tripping, and staggering their way to them. When Govi reached the figures, their appearances began to become more visible. They were survivors, they came in many different shapes and sizes. Some had only one horn, others had many. There was one with 2 thin horns that curved towards each other above the head. There was one with horns that curved into each other, merging and then blossomed into a sort of flower of horns. There was one with a horn growing out where an eye should be. Another had horns that split off into many different directions. It was so complex and beautiful, Govi couldn’t stop themselves from glancing to look at them every now and then. Govi quickly ran towards the closet one there and hugged them. The vessel was much taller than Govi, one of the tallest ones of the group. Their 3 horns grew from the back of their head and reached up to in front of their face in different directions like the horns were trapping the head. They carried a nail. The vessel looked down at Govi. Govi hugged a little tighter. Govi remained hugging them for some time until they started to feel better.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Govi let go of the large vessel and looked around. It was a large group of vessels, around fifteen or so. Very few of them carried nails. Mainly the larger ones held them. There was one vessel that seemed to stick out of the crowd. He had two curved horns reaching out from the sides of his head, and one larger horn pointing upwards and splitting into two at the very end. He had a pair of wings and a small trinket on the top of their head. Flying above his head was a small aspid hatchling. He was speaking in broken sentences to some other vessels. He turned his head to Govi and approached them. </span>
  <em>
    <span>“Safe now.” “I h-heard of pathway leading here... want to h-help siblings” </span>
  </em>
  <span>He pointed his arm at himself. </span>
  <em>
    <span>“I am M-Meadowhawk” </span>
  </em>
  <span>Meadowhawk then pointed at the small aspid hatchling. </span>
  <em>
    <span>“Asper”</span>
  </em>
  <span> Govi nodded, then turned around and curiously wobbled farther down the tunnel. Meadowhawk stopped them and said </span>
  <em>
    <span>“w-wait for others.” </span>
  </em>
  <span>Govi turned around and sat on the floor. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Some time passed, more vessels came and waited at the tunnel entrance. It was nice to  The smallest vessel Govi had ever seen approached them. They were wearing a bright pink cloak and had two very strangely shaped horns, they curved upwards and had pink fuzz coming out from underneath it. It had a tail, Something very rare for vessels. It was the most bizarre thing. The small vessel stared at Govi’s horn strangely and then sat next to Govi. Some more time passed, and Meadowhawk said aloud </span>
  <em>
    <span>“This way, follow.” “Weaker ones stay in back.”</span>
  </em>
  <span> Govi, the small pink vessel, and other weak vessels stayed in the back of the group. In the very back, the large vessel that Govi had hugged walk behind them, making sure the weaker ones remained safe. The tunnel was dark and barely visible, Govi saw spider webs, and they became more and more frequent as they traveled. The small pink vessel held Govi’s hand and helped them keep balance of the weight of their large horn, making walking much easier for them.</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Another vessel approached Govi nervously, they were a little bit taller than Govi. Their horns were very thick, they came out from the sides going down a little bit and then curved upward at the end. They remained silent for a while. </span>
  <em>
    <span>“K-Kl-Kleft,” </span>
  </em>
  <span>They said to Govi, pointing at themself. </span>
  <em>
    <span>“M-Mu-Muh-Muff,” </span>
  </em>
  <span>Kleft said, pointing at the small pink vessel, still holding onto Govi’s hand. </span>
  <em>
    <span>“G-G-Gr-Grendel” </span>
  </em>
  <span>Kleft pointed at the large vessel behind them, still ready for combat. Kleft pointed their arm at Govi </span>
  <em>
    <span>“Y-Y-You?”</span>
  </em>
  <span> Govi shook their head. </span>
  <em>
    <span>“O-o-ok…” </span>
  </em>
  <span>Kleft mumbled to themselves and looked in a different direction. slowed down, and began walking behind them, occasionally glancing at the tunnel walls as if danger were to appear at any second. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Some time passed and Govi heard footsteps coming from behind them. Govi, Muff, Kleft, and the large armed vessel turned around. There was another vessel, it was a bit taller than Kleft, it had 5 horns that poked out in random areas, they were all curved differently and pointed in different directions. There was even one growing out from the chin. Grendel stood aside and let the other bug join the group. It walked passed the armed vessel as if it was invisible and walked in front of Govi and their friends. It continued walking, giving an empty stare as if it were looking through the vessels in front of it and the tunnel was empty. Govi was so distracted by the bug their leg got caught in some spider web and they tripped. Kleft quickly nabbed Govi’s cloak by its end and pulled Govi back up, stopping them from falling. </span>
  <em>
    <span>“W-W-Wel-Welc-Welcome” </span>
  </em>
  <span>they muttered shyly. The 3 small vessels continued walking through the dark tunnel.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>More time passed, the ground shook a 4 Dirtcaver burst out of the ground in front of Govi. The pointy vessel continued moving as if it was unaware of the Dirtcarvers. Kleft cowardly hid behind Govi, and Muff jumped onto Govi’s head. Govi wobbled from the weight of muff and fell back onto Kleft. Grendel quickly leaped forward and stabbed the first one straight through the head before it crawled out of the hole. The second Dirtcaver attempted to jump at Grendel but they slashed its guts open before it could. Another bit Gendel in the leg before being cut in half. Other large vessels in the group ran to aid Grendel, killing 3 more Dirtcarvers that had dug up from the ground. The remaining Dirtcarver shrieked and tried to escape through the hole but Grendel killed it before it could. The vessels stood for a while to observe the bodies. </span>
  <em>
    <span>“Keep moving,” </span>
  </em>
  <span>Meadowhawk said aloud to the other vessels. Govi, Kleft, and Muff stood up, and they continued on through the dark twisted tunnel. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The tunnel began to widen, and lead to a large room that split off into many different pathways. </span>
  <em>
    <span>“Everyone stop… Must r-remember way back…” </span>
  </em>
  <span>Meadowhawk explained. The other vessels walked into the large room and patiently waited for Meadowhawk to find his way again. Govi, Muff, and Kleft sat down together. Grendel stood beside them, still at the ready for attacks. Govi clumsily rose up and approached Grendel and gave them another hug, this time, however, Grendel hugged back.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Some time passed, Meadowhawk was still trying to remember the way back. At this point, all of the other vessels have sat down except for 2. Meadowhawk who was now walking in circles trying to recall the correct path with Asper following behind eagerly, and the pointy vessel, staring straight through Meadowhawk. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Meadowhawk noticed that the pointy vessel hadn’t sat down to rest yet. He stopped circling and looked at the vessel. </span>
  <em>
    <span>“You s-sit and rest, need energy for j-journey”</span>
  </em>
  <span> The pointy vessel continued staring past Meadowhawk. Meadowhawk approached it. Right as Meadowhawk stepped Forward, the pointy vessel’s head snapped to the left. It let out a loud shriek that echoed throughout the room. The other vessels stood up, Grendel the larger ones readying their weapons. The creature lifted its body backward as a long neck popped out from underneath its cloak and grew into a large orange stomach. It grew long jagged limbs and a pointy tail, sharp spines emerged from it’s back. It stood tall on six feet, towering above Meadowhawk, and gave another loud shriek. </span>
  <em>
    <span>“SCATTER!” </span>
  </em>
  <span>Meadowhawk shouted as he leaped at the monster with his gilded nail, trying to buy time for the other vessels to leave. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The weaker vessels scattered in different directions. The monster stabbed an unarmed vessel with its sharp limbs as it attempted to flee and strung its lifeless body up to the ceiling. Meadowhawk and the other large vessels charged the monster, Nosk spat up orange acid and killed 2 of the larger vessels in the process. Meadowhawk dodged the acid and stabbed Nosk in the stomach, Nosk shrieked and shook Meadowhawk off. Muff and Kleft quickly grabbed Govi’s hands and helped them flee to a nearby hole Muff spotted. Nosk chased the 3 vessels. Muff jumped up and through the hole and outstretched their small arms to help pull Govi and Kleft up. Govi got up but their horn was too big to fit inside the hole. Muff receded into the hole as Nosk swiped its long claw at Govi but Kleft blocked the blow with their head, their shell cracked and Kleft flew back unconscious. Grendel dashed towards Nosk at blinding speed and gave another slash to Nosk’s stomach. Govi got up and ran, trying their best not to trip or stumble. Nosk spat up acid at Grendel, Grendel dodged it and put their nail straight through Nosk’s pointy head, piercing the shell While Grendel stood there, holding the nail lodged in Nosk’s head, 2 more large vessels approached Nosk with their nails. Nosk smashed one of them with its long leg as the other took it’s nail to one of Nosk’s spine points, cutting it off. Nosk gave another bombastic cry as Meadowhawk ran by and slashed it’s stomach again. Nosk shook off Grendel and killed the other large vessel with a powerful kick into a wall.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Govi stood there, watching the battle, standing at the entrance of a big enough tunnel Govi found. Meadowhawk &amp; Grendel charged at Nosk. Nosk smacked Meadowhawk back, hitting another wall. Grendel leaped at Nosk again Nosk stabbed Grendel through the chest with its claws. Govi’s heart sank, Grendel stared at Govi as Nosk threw them to the ground and smash their head with its powerful legs. Govi kept staring at Grendel’s lifeless corpse. Meadowhawk was tired, he looked around. He ran towards Kleft’s unconscious body, picking it up as he dashed and ran into the nearest tunnel, Asper following behind. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Nosk stood there for a bit. Then turned around slowly and its eyes met Govi’s. Nosk charged at Govi screeching. Luckily, the hole was too small for Nosk, its pointy, fractured false head stuck through the hole, Govi jumped back and turned the other way, Govi could hear Nosk crying in rage as it slammed itself against the wall. Govi awkwardly ran through the tunnel as fast as their little legs could take them. The tunnel led upwards to a strange area covered in mushrooms, Govi traveled upwards, past acidic rivers and past strangely aggressive bugs. Waddling through it all, maintaining balance, for Grendel. Govi reached stony crossroads and made their way up, avoiding any husks that attacked. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Govi eventually found a chain rope leading up. Govi climbed it and emerged in a crowded village, Govi wanted to stay but could tell from the citizen’s faces that this place wasn’t safe either. Govi climbed the staircase that leads up to a pathway lit by lumafly lanterns. Govi traveled all the way down and reached a sandy border. Govi saw a large scorpion walk through the border and into the wastelands, Govi curiously followed after the large bug, still tripping and falling with nearly every step. But Govi was hopeful that they would find a new family.</span>
</p>
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